Movies

Ari Aster’s Eddington Is a Wigged-Out Modern Western Overstuffed With Ideas

BBG News

In less densely populated areas of America, many individuals and government officials continue to harbor resentment regarding the manner in which businesses and schools were closed temporarily during the pandemic. In some places, wearing masks is still considered a sign of weakness. Parents often attribute their children’s social difficulties or academic struggles to the “remote” education they received during the pandemic years. It seems that people are finding it hard to move past the pandemic, using it as an easy excuse for their frustration about why their lives aren’t going exactly as planned. Overlooked in this narrative is the fact that COVID-19 has claimed lives and left lasting effects on some survivors.

As a movie enthusiast, I find myself pondering – how did this story unfold before my eyes? That’s the question that seems to be at the heart of Ari Aster’s somber comedy-Western, “Eddington,” which is screening in competition at Cannes Film Festival. The narrative begins in late May 2020, a time when major cities like New York were grappling with alarming daily death tolls – but “Eddington” isn’t about that. Instead, it transports us to the fictional city of Eddington, NM, where the local sheriff, Joe Cross (played by Joaquin Phoenix), spends his days managing minor crises, such as noise complaints. His life is filled with a loving wife, Louise (Emma Stone), who passes her days crafting whimsically eerie dolls and even manages to sell a few. However, it’s revealed that Joe is secretly buying these dolls from friends-of-friends. Louise is emotionally fragile, having been affected by some unspecified trauma that has led her to have no desire for intimacy. To make matters worse, her overbearing mother, Dawn (Deirdre O’Connell), has moved in with the couple, bringing along a baggage of conspiracy theories.

Joe is feeling overwhelmed both at home and work, giving the impression that he’s on the verge of a breakdown. Despite being generally a good person, his temper seems to be fraying. The new mask mandates in town are causing him frustration because, as an asthmatic, he believes they hinder his breathing. However, it’s ironic that his asthma actually increases his vulnerability to severe COVID complications due to the lack of proper mask usage. What truly irks Joe, though, is Mayor Ted Garcia (played by Pedro Pascal), who is running for reelection. Ted is advocating for a tech-oriented future for the city, which essentially means establishing an AI deep learning facility that could drain resources and potentially replace human workers. He’s also pro-renewable energy like wind and solar power. However, he has a tendency to brand anything as his own, as long as it boosts his image.

It’s clear why Joe finds him irritating. In a moment of anger one day, Joe decides to challenge him for the mayoral position. He enlists his two trusty deputies, Michael (Micheal Ward) and Guy (Luke Grimes), to help him understand the qualifications. He designs his own campaign materials, decking out his sheriff’s vehicle like an extravagant circus wagon. (The signs are professionally made but have a few punctuation and grammar errors. One reads “Your Being Manipulated.”) He then sets about irritating and undermining his rival, who is such a charmless blowhard that it’s enjoyable to see him being put in his place. (Pascal excels at portraying these types of sleazy characters.) A campaign advertisement shows him joking and smiling with a large number of Black citizens, more than the city actually has. Joe questions whether he’s imported them for the purpose.

Joe’s amusing confidence betrays the truth that he’s starting to unravel. Louise is being swayed by a deceitful self-help guru, portrayed charmingly by Austin Butler; there’s an additional complication as she and Ted share a past intimacy, although Ted disputes it. As Joe launches his campaign, the murder of George Floyd ignites protests nationwide, even reaching little Eddington. Groups of protesters appear, waving Black Lives Matter signs. While they aim to make a difference, there’s also hypocrisy among them. One of the film’s most poignant lines is when an annoying white liberal activist, played by Amélie Hoeferle, chides Michael (who is Black and briefly dated her) for not joining the protests. “I haven’t experienced racism, but you have,” she says, almost jabbing him with her finger. There will always be whites who can’t help but tell Blacks how they should feel.

As a film enthusiast, I found “Eddington” thought-provoking and inquisitive, yet at times, Aster seems to overload the narrative. He delves into the debate surrounding the credibility of recovered memory syndrome, which resonated with me, given my skepticism. However, he also criticizes activists who, despite having noble intentions, can become so sanctimoniously pushy that they might deter others from their cause.

The storyline takes an unexpected turn towards crime and chaos, prolonging the resolution unnecessarily. I must admit, I’m left scratching my head about the conclusion, though a witty visual joke involving three improbable characters sharing a queen-size bed adds a touch of normality to the chaotic scene.

As a filmmaker, Aster exhibits both a visionary and frustrating nature. He excels at transforming his concepts into captivating visuals, as demonstrated in the film Midsommar, where Florence Pugh dons a flower crown adorned with seemingly alive, eerie flowers, creating an unsettling yet stunning atmosphere. Similarly, the movie Beau Is Afraid serves as a tribute to human anxieties, albeit becoming tiresome towards the end. However, its opening sequence is remarkably clever, offering a chaotic symphony of misfortune for a helpless New Yorker (played by Phoenix), who within minutes, encounters the worst aspects of Manhattan life – from grumpy neighbors complaining about non-existent noise to an unexpected influx of unkempt, wild-eyed street dwellers invading his apartment for an impromptu party of debauchery.

Aster’s mind is overflowing with thoughts, causing him to sometimes overstep boundaries, which can be frustrating when watching his films. However, he possesses a self-deprecating humor regarding his own neuroses. He keenly observes human behavior, particularly the way people allow their fears and insecurities to dominate them. Moreover, he is aware of how even good-intentioned individuals can commit atrocious acts when pushed to the limit.

In Eddington, Aster refrains from preaching, instead presenting a narrative about politically engaged characters living in a strained society. Some of his views may be reflected in the movie, but they mainly seem influenced by peculiar, irritating, or touching experiences he’s personally witnessed. It is worth mentioning that Aster, though born in New York, spent a significant portion of his childhood residing with his family in New Mexico.

The film’s soundtrack, composed by the Haxan Cloak and Daniel Pemberton, is remarkable, featuring passages reminiscent of Elmer Bernstein’s joviality. If doesn’t entirely succeed as a modern Western, it serves as an expression of dismay towards what our nation—often chaotic even in the best of times—has evolved into due to a virus that not only affected our lungs but seeped deep into our very essence. Essentially, Aster has listened closely to America’s heartbeat; his diagnosis is that we are in a state of disarray.

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2025-05-17 04:06

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